Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the shipping of articles on pallets, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an improved method of packaging and transporting preformed flower pot covers.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Decorative covers for flower pots have been used for many years to accentuate or complement the aesthetic appearance of a floral grouping disposed in the flower pot. Such decorative covers are often preformed flower pot covers made by forming a flexible sheet of material into a shape adapted to receive the flower pot.
In the process of forming the sheet of material into the flower pot cover, a plurality of overlapping folds are formed in the material. The overlapping folds cooperate to provide structural strength to keep the preformed shape of the flower pot cover. In addition, flower pot covers are often formed to have a skirt portion which is designed to extend beyond the upper end of the flower pot and functions to cover the soil and the lower portion or stem portion of a floral grouping which can be unattractive and thus draw away from the attractiveness of the combination of the blooms of the floral grouping and the flower pot cover.
To ship flower pot covers after the forming process, a plurality of the preformed flower pot covers are typically stacked or nested relative to one another and the stack is placed in a cardboard box. After several stacks of the preformed flower pot covers have been placed in the box, the box is closed and sealed.
While the use of cardboard boxes have been widely accepted in the packaging and shipping of preformed flower pot covers, they are not without disadvantages. For example, cardboard boxes represent a disposal problem for the receiver of the flower pot covers. In addition, the contents of the box can not be inspected without unsealing and opening the box. As such, one is unable to observe the quality and quantity of the flower pot covers prior to opening the box.
To this end, a method of packaging preformed flower pot covers is needed that permits easy transport of a large quantity of flower pot covers while overcoming the disadvantages mentioned above. It is to such a method that the present invention is directed.
The present invention is directed to a method of shipping a plurality of preformed flower pot covers is provided. Each preformed flower pot cover includes a sheet of material formed into a shape sized to receive a flower pot. The preformed sheet of material has a base with a closed lower end and an open upper end with an object opening extending therethrough for receiving the flower pot. The method includes providing a portable platform having a plurality of stacking shells extending therefrom. Each stacking shell is configured to be received in the object opening of one of the preformed flower pot covers. A stack of preformed flower pot covers is stacked on at least a portion of the stacking shells such that the preformed flower pot covers of the stack are nested within one another and supported by the stacking shell and secured to the portable platform. The platform with the preformed flower pot covers is then transported to a predetermined destination.
The objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.